Grass-receptacle.



No. 836,230. PATElEITED NOV. 20, 1906. LA FAYETTE WILDERMUTH.

GRASS REOEPTAGLE. APPLICATION FIL'ED MAY12,1906.

WITNESSES: I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS rm: NORRIS psrsas co, wnsnmcrcu, u. c.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LA FAYETTE WILDERMUTH. OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.-

GFlASS FiEGEPTACLE.z

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

Application filed MaylZ, 1906. Serial No. 316,568.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LA FAYETTE WILDER- arU'rH, a citizen of the United States, residlng atColumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new. and useful Grass-Receptacle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grass-receptacles for lawn-mowers of that general class shown in United States Letters Patent granted to me'on the 17th day of November, 1903, un-

- der No. 744,657.

One object of the invention is to improve, simplify, and cheapen the construction of the rece tacle and to reinforce and strengthen the ottom of the same byproviding a vertical guide-flange which also serves as a guard to prevent the grass from clogging or otherwise obstructing the bearing .-roller of the mowing-machine.

A further object of the invention is to pro- I vide means for limiting the spreading movement of the sectional bottom and means whereby the receptacle may be supported at any desired distance from thelawn-mower.

A still further object of the invention is to generally, improve this class of devices, so as to add to their utility and durability as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construdtion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

1n the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grass-receptacle constructed in accordance with my invention,

, showing the same in position on a lawnmower. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the receptacledetach'ed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.

2'. Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of a or tion of the frame and connecting-link. ig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the bottom of the receptacle.

S1m1lar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved receptacle consists of a relatively stationary lower section'fifland a mov-' able upper section-'8. The upper section 6 is preferably formed of a single piece of wire,.

an intermediate portion of which is bent to form a rear bar 7, and the ends of the wire extended forwardly and downwardly to form side bars 8. The side bars 8' are bent at 9 to form vertically-disposed arms 10, th e latter being coiled to produce eyes 11 and the ends of the wire extended laterally to produce term'inal horizontally-disposed eyes or loops 12. The bottom frame or section is substantially rectangular in shape, as shown, and provided with laterally-extendin arms 13, the ends of which are su porte in parallel relation with each other y means of a tubular mem-' berpreferably in the form of a coiled spring 14;. Secured in any suitable manner. to the lower frame are alurality of overlapping plates 15 and 16, w i'ch constitute the bottom of the receptacle and are free to move adjusted to accommodate machines of different sizes- The ends of the arms 13 are provided with lateral extensions '17, adapted to engage the-ends of the tubular bar 14.,

thereby to limit the expansible movement of the overlappingbottom sections, and thus prevent sald sections from becoming sepalaterally, so that the device may be readily rated; The lower frame is reinforced and strengthened by a longitudinally-disposed rod 18, one end of which is secured to the rear bar 19 of the lower frame, while itsopposite end is twisted or otherwise coiled around the tubular member '14, as shown. The forward ends of the plates15 and 16 are extended ashort distance beyond the arms 13, and bent to form terminal flanges 19, the ends of one of the plates or sections being bent downwardly to form a guiding-groove 20-, adapted to receive the flange of the adj acent plate or section. By having the sections or plates formed in' the manner described the bottom of the receptacle is not only materially reinforced and strengthened and also serves to maintain the arms in proper position.

As a means for attaching the receptacle to the mowing-machine there are provided suitable coupling members, preferably in the form.

of-hooks 21, adapted to engage the eyes 12, said. hooks being formed with elongated slots or openings 22,adapte d to receive the bolts which serve to hold the bearing-roller in position. It will thus be seen that b releasing the bolt 23 the slotted ends of the ooks may latter.

be adjusted longitudinally, thereby to vary the distance between the roller and the adjacent end of the grass-receptacle, while by exerting a lateral pull on the side members of the lower frame the bottom sections or plates may be extended laterally to adapt therece tacle to machines of: different Widths, T e upper frame is pivotally mounted on the arms 13 and is provided Witha hook 24,

ing the eyes 12 over the hooks 21, as best shown in Fig. 4, after which the upper frame is elevated and supported in such position b passing the end 'of the hook 24 over the a jacent portion of the handle. In order to remove the receptacle, it is merely necessary to lift the eyes 12 out of engagement with the hooks when the receptacle maybe disconnected from the'machine and compactly folded,

is claim so as to take up very little room when not in use. i

From the foregoing description it is thought that the construction and operation .of the devices will be readily-understood by' those skilled in the art, and further descrip- .tion thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Havin thus described the invention, what v 1. In a device of the class described, a receptacle including a frame, aplurality of latwally-movable overlapping sections secured to'the frame and forming the bottom of the receptacle, arms carried by the frame-and extended beneath the sections, a tubular member embracing the arms, and means carried by the arms and adapted to engage the tubular member for limiting the expansible movement of said. sections.

2. In a device of the class described, a receptacle including a frame, a plurality of laterally-movable overlapping sections secured to the frame and'forming the bottom of the parts of the frame to thereof 'extende beneath theprojected' ends of the receptacle, said sections being provided with a terminal flange, arms carried by the frame and extended beneath the sections at said flange, a tubular member embracing the arms, and means carried by the arms and adapted to engage the tubular member for limiting the lateral movement of said sec,- tions.

3. In a device of the class described, 'a receptacle including a frame, a plurality of late erally-movable overlapping sections secured to the frame and forming the bottom of the receptacle, a guiding-groove formed in the end of one section, a-flange formed on the adjacent section and adapted to engage said groove, arms carried by the frame and ex tended beneath the section tubular member embracing thearms, and means carried by the arms and adapted to engage said member for limiting the lateral movement of the sections.

4. In a device of the class described, a receptacle including a frame, a plurality'oflatorally-movable overlappingsections secured to the frame and forming the bottom of the receptacle, arms carried by the frame and extended beneath the sections, and a tubular member embracing the arms, said arms being provided with terminal extensions adapted to engage the tubular member for limiting the expansible movement of said sections.

5. In a device of the class described, a receptacle including a frame, a plurality of lat- 'erally-movable overlapping sections secured one end of each saldframe, arms to the frame and havin rojected beyon sections, a flexible member embracing the arms, and means carried by the arms and adaptedfto engage the flexible member for limiting the lateral movement of said sections. I A

6. In a device of the class described, a receptacle including a frame, a plurality of movable overlapping sections secured to the frame arid forming the bottom of the receptacle, one end of each section being extended beyond 'the frame and bent upwardly to form a vertically-disposedv flan e, arms ex-' tending transversely beneath t e extended ends ofthe movable sections, a coiled spring embracing the arms, and lateral extensions on said arms adapted to engage the adj acent' ends of the spring for limiting the lateral movement of said sections.

Iiutestimonny that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' LA FAYETTE WILDERMUTH.

Witnesses: I

FRANKLIN RUBRECHT,-- FLORENCE BELL. 

